Snap-hook.



PA TENTBD APR. 5, 1904.

R. G. ELDRIDGB.

H0 MODEL iZlorne z s as cu. PHOYO-LITHO,. WASHINGYON u c UNiTEn STATES Patented April 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECTFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 756,607, dated April 5, 1904. Application filed November '7, 1903. erial No. 180,147. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN (J. ELDRIDGE,

a citizen of Canada, and aresident of Niagara Falls, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Snap-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring-tongue snaphooks of that kind in which the body of the hook, comprising the shank and bill, is formed from a sheet -nietal blank and the springtongue is secured in place by a bent-over portion of the body. A snap of this general character is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 528,270, granted October 30, 1894:, to R. (1, H. M., and L. W. Eldridge.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong desirable snap-hook of this character which has a hinged attaching-loop and is of neat attractive appearance and in'which the body is formed from a blank of the minimum size.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snap-hook embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet-metal blank from which the body is made. Figs. 3 and i are perspective views of the partially-formed body after the first and second forming operations. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the body before the final forming operation and showing the springtongue and attachingloop, respectively, by full and dotted lines in position to be secured in place. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the spring-tongue detached. Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the body of the hook substantially in line 7 7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the heel end of the hook. Figs. 9 and 10 are similar sections showing diiferent forms of attaching-loops.

Like letters of reference refer to in the several figures.

The snap-hook consists of a sheet-metal body comprising the shank A and the bill B of the hook, a spring-tongue G, which is secured at one end to the heel of the body,with its other or free end bearing against the end of the bill, and a loop D, which is hinged in like parts an eye E at the heel of the body for attaching the hook to a strap, chain, or other connection.

The body of the snap-hook formed from a single piece or blank of sheet-steel or other suitable sheet Inetal'of the shape shown in Fig. 2 and which may be produced by stamping or in any other auitable way. The bodyblank has a relatively long tapering portion a, which forms the shank and bill of the snaphook, and a wide heel-end portion a, which is bent to form a retaining-eye for the attaching-loop and spring-tongue.

a is a lug projecting from the central portion of the heel end of the blank fora purpose which will appear hereinafter.

In the first step of the forming operation the body-blank is bent or pressed in any suitable rnanner into the form shown in Fig. 3, having the shank bent to partially form the hook-bill and having the heel end shaped to partially form the retaining-eye for the attaching-loop. By the same operation the wide portion of the heel end of the blank is corrugated to form a longitudinal rib b on the outside of the heel and alongitudinal depression or seat 7) for the spring-tongue on the inner side of the heel. Parallel spaced ears or lugs c are also formed adjacent to the heel end of the blank, between which the springtongue is confined and held from lateral movementor displacement. The shank of the bodyblank is then bent into the shape shown in Fig. 4', after which the body is further formed by succeeding operations into the shape shown in Fig. 5, in which the sides of the tapering portion of the blank are turned over to form the substantially oval cross-sectional shape of the bill and the heel end is bent up, as shown. The spring-tongue C, which can be cut and shaped into the form shown in Fig. 6 in one press operation, is then placed with its bent end resting in the depression in the heel of the body and its body portion extending out between the retaining-lugs 0. The attachingloop, which has been previously formed, is placed in position in the partially-formed eye of the body over the bent end of the springtongue, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the heel of the body is pressed down to close the eye E and complete the hook.

When the eye is closed, the lug a projecting from the heel end of the body-blank, bears against the spring-tongue between the retaining-lugs and fills the space between the shank and the end of the. eye. As the fixed end of the spring-tongue is located in the depression 6 in the retaining-eye, its inner face is substantially flush with the inner face of the side portions of the eye, and when the latter is pressed around the attaching-loop the loop is not pinched or bound between the spring and the walls'of the eye, as would otherwise be the case, but is free to be swung or turned in the retaining-eye.

By corrugating the heel end of the blank as described the eye is materially stiffened or strengthened, so that it is not necessary to bend portions of the heel end of the blank around the shank to prevent the eye from opening, as is done in said patented hook. Thus a blank of the same thickness and of considerably less width at the heel end can be employed, resulting in less waste or scrap. The spring-retaining lugs 0 on the body in front of the eye also stiffen the body or shank and prevent the bending of the same. The hook therefore has the requisite strength and is at the same time of neat and attractive appearance.

The attaching-loop may be of any suitable form. In the construction shown in Fig. 8 the ends of the loop meet centrally in the retaining-eye and extend into the bent end of the spring-tongue. The ends of the loop can be joined by welding or otherwise or left detached, as shown, and, if preferred, the solid part of the loop can be placed in the retaining: eye. The ends of the attaching-loop E (shown in Fig. 9) are separated or spaced and provided with annular enlargements or flanges which engage in the depression in the eye of the hook on opposite sides of the springtongue to prevent the ends of the loop from being sprung apart and disengaged from the eye. The enlarged ends of the attaching-loop bearing against the opposite sides of the spring-tongue assist in holding the latter from lateral movement.

In Fig. 10 the ends of the attaching-loop E are shown as extending into the bent portion of the spring-tongue and having ad acent to the ends beads or collars e, which engage in the depression of the eye at opposite sides of the spring-tongue. In each of the constructions shown the attaching-loop can be swung or turned in the eye of the hook.

I claim asmy invention 1. A snap-hook comprising a body formed of a single piece and having a hook-bill and a retaining-eye for an attaching-loop, said retaining-eye having an internal depression, a spring-tongue having a bent end seated in said depression in the eye, and an attachingloop secured in said retaining-eye, substantially as set forth.

2. A snap-hook comprising a body formed of a single piece and having a hook-bill and a retaining-eye for an attaching-loop, said retaining-eye having an internal depression and an external strengtheningrib, a spring-tongue having a bent end seated in said depression in the eye, and an attaching-loop secured in said retaining-eye, substantially as set forth.

3. A snap-hook comprising a body formed of a single piece and having a hook-bill and a retaining-eye for an attaching-loop, said retaining-eye having an internal depression, a spring-tongue having a bent end seated in said depression in the eye, said body having separated lugs adjacent to said eye between which said spring-tongue is confined, and an attaching-loop secured in said retaining-eye, substantially as set forth.

4. A snap-hook comprising a body formed of a single piece and having a hook-bill and a retaining-eye for an attaching-loop, said retaining-eye having an internal depression, a spring-tongue having a bent end seated in said depression in the eye with its inner face substantially flush with the inner face of the side portions of the eye, and an attachingloop movably secured in said retaining-eye and engaging in the bent portion of said spring-tongue, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 3d day of November, 1903.

REUBEN C. ELDRIDGE.

Witnesses-z JUDsoN (J. NIoHoLs, W. M. HARRIGAN. 

